Surviving off a meat-only diet and water is a concept foreign to most. The majority find it unbelievable that not only is this possible, but preferable. Unfortunately, there are several myths surrounding this authentic way of eating. The three most common beliefs are the essential need for Vitamin C, Carbohydrates, and Fibre. However, none of these requirements are true for those that eat animal products. If they were, then I would be a hot damn mess by now as meat is all I have eaten for many years.
We are told, especially lately, that we have not been designed to eat meat. There is a big Pro Peta Pro Vegetarian movement on the rise since the turn of the century. I am all for everyone making their own health choices, but as I went over in this article, you need to make your own decisions doing experiments. Be very careful about trusting what you are being fed by organizations with financial motives.
LET US BRIEFLY LOOK AT SOME OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS
VITAMIN C
Living off dried food, like biscuits and preserved food is what causes Scurvy.
1) Fresh food has vitamin C, and yes, so does fresh beef.
2) Eating a high-carbohydrate diet competes with the absorption of vitamin C and other nutrients. The number of Vitamins you need reduces when eliminating the consumption of substances that destroy them internally. Glucose competes with Vitamin C for absorption, so if you are eating a grain-based, carb-heavy diet, your vitamin C absorption rates will be lower, and requirements higher.
To sum up. It would appear that there is an alternative biochemical pathway that prevents one from getting scurvy that only occurs if you are eating fat for your fuel as opposed to starch and sugar ie a glucogenic way of eating. Please see this article “Ascorbic Acid and the Immune System” in The Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, Volume 20, Number 3, pg. 179-183, 2005.
CARBOHYDRATES ARE ESSENTIAL
No, they are not. You either burn your fuel via carbs, which convert into glucose to feed your brain, or via fat. As carbs come from sources that are dubious as far as the supposed health benefits, fat is your answer. There are essential amino acids (protein) and essential fatty acids (fat) but no essential carbohydrate.
Contrary to popular belief, carbs are not an essential nutrient, meaning we don’t need them to survive and function properly. From a personal perspective, if I eat carbs I hold onto a lot of water, which I see as my body’s defense mechanism of trying to flush something undesirable out of my system
Mainstream carnivore’s take on eating carbs is that before the Agricultural Revolution, modern humans would have never eaten a significant amount of carbohydrates. Here is a compelling study from February 2021 on how carbohydrates increase your risk of cardio disease and death.
Carbs are addictive and mess with the body’s appetite signals. It is very easy to overeat carbs, but almost impossible to overeat on meat and fat. A good analogy is how many glasses of water can you drink before your body will tell you to stop, it is enough. Now compare that to how many glasses of alcohol you can/could drink, and drink, and drink.
If this information interests you, and you would like to learn more about the dangers of a carbohydrate-based diet vs a meat only diet, you can further your research here.
YOU MUST HAVE YOUR FIBRE
Yes, if you are a cow with four stomachs, some fibrous grass is a lovely idea. Not so much if you are human. We have been brainwashed into believing that without fibre we will suffer many problems, from constipation to our gut microbiome cannibalizing our intestinal walls.
When you eat a diet devoid of fibre, ie a meat only diet, you find a substantial reduction in the quantity and the frequency that you eliminate. This is because you are now eating properly, and your body uses pretty much everything that you are putting into your stomach. It is a highly nutritious way of eating and there is very little left that your body does not want, unlike when you eat a standard diet as suggested by the powers that be.
It is then that you realize that all the times before when you were religiously eating your fibre, that your gut just cannot digest it. Ruminant animals can, as they have a specialized digestive system to do so. We don’t, and as a result, we have bulk elimination, and often at that, as most of our waste is from undigested plants and gut bacteria. All that fibre also causes many other nasty side effects like gas, bloating, and constipation (no it does not cure constipation, it is the initial cause of it).
MEAT IS DIFFICULT TO DIGEST
Um, no. Quite the opposite, and it also does not rot in our stomach.
As our stomachs are acid-based meat is quickly digested and by the time it hits your large intestine, it is pretty much liquid. It is a salad like leaves and fibre that block you up – say hello to Diverticulitis. If you want some eye-opening information on this, read this article written by someone with first-hand experience. or if you really want to delve deeper here is another good article.
In conclusion, I want to remind you that judgment is best passed when one has experienced something personally. By doing this, you soon realize that nothing is set in stone, and as it is your body, you are free to bio-hack your way of eating. There are many forms of carnivore, some very strict beef and water, and others that are far less strict, comprising of 95% meat and then including some honey, coffee, cacao, herbs, spices, sometimes even alcohol. You do you until what you are doing does not work anymore, then experiment until you find a sweet spot in your eating only meat diet.
Worried because you have heard eating meat causes cancer? Watch the video to learn more about this myth.